Open AccessHuman Herpesvirus 8 Infections and AIDS-Associated Kaposi Sarcoma in Zaria, Northern Nigeria
Author(s) -
Dimie Ogoina,
G.C. Onyemelukwe,
Bolanle O. P. Musa,
Aliyu Babadoko
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of the international association of physicians in aids care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.813
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1557-0886
pISSN - 1545-1097
DOI - 10.1177/1545109710387300
Subject(s) - medicine , sarcoma , seroprevalence , concomitant , kaposi's sarcoma , human herpesvirus , dermatology , serology , immunology , pathology , antibody
Background/Objectives: Studies on human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection in patients with AIDS-associated Kaposi sarcoma (AIDS-KS), from Nigeria are lacking. We examined the seroprevalence of HHV8 infection in patients with AIDS-KS presenting to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, Nigeria, and also described their clinical presentation. Methods: A total of 20 (11 males and 9 females) histologically confirmed adults with AIDS-KS were recruited consecutively in 2007. The clinical types of lesions, associated diseases, and the AIDS clinical trial group staging of AIDS-KS were noted. Anti-lytic HHV8 antibodies were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Kaposi sarcoma skin lesions were diverse but mostly nodules (19 cases) and papules (16). Majority (18 cases) had poor risk AIDS-KS, with 10 (50%) patients having concomitant opportunistic infections and 3 (15%) patients having generalized skin lesions. Females had a more severe disease. Seventeen patients (85%) were HHV8-seropositive. Conclusion: AIDS-KS is associated with high HHV8 infection and presents with a variety of skin manifestations that are often aggressive, advanced, and worse in females.